Abstract: Each device includes: a processing-information-request transmitter configured to transmit a processing information request containing device identification information identifying the device, to an information processing apparatus based on detection of a mobile terminal; a first processing-information receiver configured to receive processing information from the information processing apparatus; and a first processing-information transmitter configured to transmit the processing information to the mobile terminal. The information processing apparatus includes: a processing-information-request receiver configured to receive the processing information request from each device; a second processing-information transmitter configured to retrieve processing information associated with the device identification information contained in the processing information request and transmit the processing information to the device of the transmission source.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a print server connected to a plurality of image forming apparatuses via a network includes: a print-command acquisition unit that acquires a print command containing designation of one of the image forming apparatuses as a printing-assigned apparatus and designation of to-be-printed data; a determining unit that determines whether or not the printing-assigned apparatus is a speed-oriented apparatus; a raster image processing unit that, when the printing-assigned apparatus is not the speed-oriented apparatus, obtains rasterized data by performing raster image processing on the to-be-printed data written in a page description language; and a transmitting unit that, when the printing-assigned apparatus is not the speed-oriented apparatus, transmits the rasterized data to the printing-assigned apparatus, but when the printing-assigned apparatus is the speed-oriented apparatus, transmits the to-be-printed data to the printing-assigned apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed is a client apparatus connected to a printing server and configured to instruct the printing server to execute printing. The client apparatus includes a converting unit configured to convert a format of data to be printed into a printable format, an image generator configured to generate a preview image of the data to be printed adapted to a printing condition based on the data of the converted format, and a display unit configured to display the preview image.

Abstract: Disclosed is a client apparatus connected to a printing server and configured to instruct the printing server to execute printing. The client apparatus includes a converting unit configured to convert a format of data to be printed into a printable format, an image generator configured to generate a preview image of the data to be printed adapted to a printing condition based on the data of the converted format, and a display unit configured to display the preview image.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a print server connected to a plurality of image forming apparatuses via a network includes: a print-command acquisition unit that acquires a print command containing designation of one of the image forming apparatuses as a printing-assigned apparatus and designation of to-be-printed data; a determining unit that determines whether or not the printing-assigned apparatus is a speed-oriented apparatus; a raster image processing unit that, when the printing-assigned apparatus is not the speed-oriented apparatus, obtains rasterized data by performing raster image processing on the to-be-printed data written in a page description language; and a transmitting unit that, when the printing-assigned apparatus is not the speed-oriented apparatus, transmits the rasterized data to the printing-assigned apparatus, but when the printing-assigned apparatus is the speed-oriented apparatus, transmits the to-be-printed data to the printing-assigned apparatus.

Abstract: A printer includes a communicating unit that receives a print job being a unit of execution of a printing process of a first printing protocol and a second printing protocol. The first printing protocol contains a series of process instructions and print data that allow the printing process to be performed from an interrupted point when the printing process is resumed after being interrupted. The printer also includes a print processing unit that performs the printing process by executing the print job, and a priority processing unit that preferentially selects a print job of the first printing protocol related to the interrupted printing process when receiving a print job of the first printing protocol related to the interrupted printing process and a print job of the second printing protocol after the printing process of the print job of the first printing protocol is interrupted.

Abstract: A time limit for a printer to be restored to a printable state after an occurrence of a print error that prevents the printer from printing is variably set. If the printer is not in a printable state when an elapsed time since the print error occurred in the printer reaches the time limit being set or exceeds the time limit, a print start command is transmitted to another printer, and a job assignment is switched to the other printer.

Abstract: A printing system includes a storage unit that stores printing status information and host apparatus identification information. The printing status information includes a printing status representing whether a printing processing of the print job is interrupted, and the host apparatus identification information represents the host apparatus as a requestor of the print job. The printing system includes a update unit that updates the printing status information based on a monitoring result of the printing apparatus; a job managing unit that judges whether to execute the print job according to the printing status information when receiving a processing request of the print job from the host apparatus; and a printing status information managing unit that decides printing status information to be stored in the storage unit. The printing status information managing unit first deletes, from the storage unit, printing status information on a print job transmitted from a low-ranked host apparatus.

Abstract: A printer includes a first receiving unit that receives a print job containing a printing requirement, where the printing requirement is set as either an indispensable requirement that is indispensable for executing the print job or a desired requirement that is desirable for executing the print job; a second receiving unit that receives, from each of external image forming apparatuses connected to the image forming apparatus via a network, a printability level indicating whether the external image forming apparatus has a printing function satisfying the indispensable requirement or a printing function satisfying the desired requirement; a selecting unit that selects an image forming apparatus that executes the print job from the external image forming apparatuses by checking the printability level; and a print-operation control unit that sends the print job to the selected image forming apparatus and causes the selected image forming apparatus to execute the print job.

Abstract: A printing system including a plurality of host devices and a plurality of printing devices connected. The printing system includes: a storage unit; a first storage processing unit for storing, in the storage unit, a print status of a print job; an information updating unit for monitoring the plurality of printing devices and updates the execution status identification information stored in the storage unit; and a job management unit for determining, based on the print status, whether the print job is to be executed on the one printing device. When a processing request for the print job is sent from another host device while the printing process for the print job sent from the one host device is suspended in the one printing device, the job management unit allows the one printing device to execute the print job sent from the another host device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus prints images of different document sizes on paper having a predetermined paper size. The image forming apparatus includes a computation processing part to compute a print position of the image with respect to the paper, based on the document size, the paper size and moving amount computation information that is input thereto, and a print processing part to arrange and print the image on the paper, based on the print position computed by the computation processing part.

Abstract: A printing apparatus performs a printing process for a printing job including at least one print data and a series of process commands from a host apparatus. A session setup unit sets up a session with the host apparatus and other printing apparatus. A status obtaining unit obtains a status of the other printing apparatus that is in session with the printing apparatus. Upon performing the print process, a job synchronizing unit maintains a synchronization of the print job with the other printing apparatus that is in session with the printing apparatus.

Abstract: A printing system includes a host apparatus and two or more printer devices connected to each other via a network. The host device sends print data to the printer devices. If a network disconnection occurs while the host device is sending the print data to the printer devices, the printing devices maintain a session with the host device and keep the print data that has been received at a time point before the network disconnection occurred. When a network reconnection takes place, the printer devices receive only un-received print data from the host device.

Abstract: A printing device is connected to a host apparatus and a lower level printing device. When the printing device receives printing target data from the host apparatus, it sends the same printing target data to the lower level printing device. A printing unit prints the printing target data on a recording medium on a page by page basis. A data-delete command issuing unit, for each printed page printed by the printing unit, issues a print data deleting command to the lower level printing device to instruct the lower level printing device to delete a portion of the printing target data corresponding to the printed page.

Abstract: When a printing device is in a state in which a printing process of a print job including at least one print data and a series of process commands from a host apparatus cannot be executed, a printing processing unit transfers a printing right corresponding to the print job that is left unprinted to other printing device. When the printing device is in a state in which the printing process can be executed and if the printing right corresponding to the print job that is left unprinted is transferred to the printing device from the other printing device, the printing processing unit executes the printing process.

Abstract: A printing apparatus that performs a printing process related to a print job including one print data item or a plurality of print data items and a series of process commands transmitted from a host apparatus and that is connected to another printing apparatus via a network, the printing apparatus including a status information acquiring unit that acquires status information of the printing apparatus when a status information transmission command is received as the process command transmitted from the host apparatus; a determining unit that synthetically determines whether the printing process can be continuously performed, on the basis of the status information of the printing apparatus and the status information of another printing apparatus connected to the printing apparatus via the network, when the status information of the printing apparatus acquired by the status information acquiring unit indicates an error; and a communication processing unit that transmits integrated status information correspondin

Abstract: A printing system includes a storage unit that stores printing status information and host apparatus identification information. The printing status information includes a printing status representing whether a printing processing of the print job is interrupted, and the host apparatus identification information represents the host apparatus as a requestor of the print job. The printing system includes a update unit that updates the printing status information based on a monitoring result of the printing apparatus; a job managing unit that judges whether to execute the print job according to the printing status information when receiving a processing request of the print job from the host apparatus; and a printing status information managing unit that decides printing status information to be stored in the storage unit. The printing status information managing unit first deletes, from the storage unit, printing status information on a print job transmitted from a low-ranked host apparatus.

Abstract: A printing system including a plurality of host devices and a plurality of printing devices connected. The printing system includes: a storage unit; a first storage processing unit for storing, in the storage unit, a print status of a print job; an information updating unit for monitoring the plurality of printing devices and updates the execution status identification information stored in the storage unit; and a job management unit for determining, based on the print status, whether the print job is to be executed on the one printing device. When a processing request for the print job is sent from another host device while the printing process for the print job sent from the one host device is suspended in the one printing device, the job management unit allows the one printing device to execute the print job sent from the another host device.

Abstract: A time limit for a printer to be restored to a printable state after an occurrence of a print error that prevents the printer from printing is variably set. If the printer is not in a printable state when an elapsed time since the print error occurred in the printer reaches the time limit being set or exceeds the time limit, a print start command is transmitted to another printer, and a job assignment is switched to the other printer.

Abstract: A printer includes a communicating unit that receives a print job being a unit of execution of a printing process of a first printing protocol and a second printing protocol. The first printing protocol contains a series of process instructions and print data that allow the printing process to be performed from an interrupted point when the printing process is resumed after being interrupted. The printer also includes a print processing unit that performs the printing process by executing the print job, and a priority processing unit that preferentially selects a print job of the first printing protocol related to the interrupted printing process when receiving a print job of the first printing protocol related to the interrupted printing process and a print job of the second printing protocol after the printing process of the print job of the first printing protocol is interrupted.